NW-E003

The NW-E003 is the mid-capacity variant in the seventh-generation E Series Network Walkman lineup. It shared the same crystal-designed USB-stick form as the rest of the family. With 1 GB of internal flash memory, it played MP3, ATRAC, ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus, WMA, and AAC files. The OLED display, direct USB transfer, and 28-hour lithium-ion battery remained unchanged.

The middle-capacity version of the USB-stick E Series redesign is probably the most representative model of that family in actual day-to-day use. What made this generation work was the overall shift in attitude: smaller, simpler, more direct, and less visually self-conscious than the more playful designs that came right before it. The E Series had become practical again.